Photographic-printing machine



Oct. 9, 1928. I I 1,687,379

M. METZGER PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR MAURICE METZGER B a! I 4 Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

PATENT" OFFICE.

- UNITED STATES MAURICE ME'I ZGER, F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRIN'IING MACHINE.

Application filed July 11, 1925. Serial Ito; 42,912.

complish the above Objects in one cycle of operations. v

.A further object is to provide a machine which will automatically control the time that the print will be exposed to light.

A- still further object is to provide a simple means for gripping the print when it is inserted in'the machine and also to provide a simple means which will release the print after all the exposures have been ac complished[ A still further object is to provide a ma chine of the class stated which will be very easily controlled and manipulated by unskilled labor once the machine is set for proper, exposures.

The device consists briefly of a base halving-a plurality of sets of gripping fingers secured to a rotatably mounted turret and adapted to engage with the upper edge of a ring to regulate their rise and fall during the 7 operation of the machine. Each set of tin gers is adapted to grip a piece of printing paper and place same over electrically lit chambers covered with. glass or such like transparent material. The glass covers are. provided with masks which allow certain features of negatives placed thereon to be transferred to the printing paperby light in the well known manner. moves in a rotary dire"tion carrying the fingers with it, said fingers being mounted on the ring so that the paper' is placed over the 4 chambers and so that each paper will be subjected to two or more exposures which will enhance the print once same has been developed. Means are provided or positioning the print in the fingers and also for so releasing same after they have been exposed.

In the drawings z- I Figure 1 is a perspectiye view of the bed plate of the machine showing the mechanism mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine .the. printing tached thereto. Another object is to provide a machine of the class'stated which will automatically ac- The turret with minor parts of the machine removed to clarify the construction of same.

Figure 3 is a side sectional elevation of the machine taken on theline 33 Figure 2. Figure 4 is a side sectional elevation of the machine taken on the line 45-4 Figure 2. Figure 5 is a plan view of the turret with paper gripping fingers at- Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stop mechanism for use witlrthe presser arms said view being taken from the back of the machine.

Figure 7 is a view of one of the light controlling switches and its operating mechanism. v

Figure 8 is, a perspective view of a relay switch controllin the light which controls,

the bordering of the print.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one set of the. gripping fingers for the printing paper.

Figure 10 is an elevation showing the pawl for holding the fingers in their print receiving position.

.- Figurell 1s a perspective. view of the turret stop and releasing mechanism.

'Figure 12 is a perspective view of the paper positioning means and the negative holder.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the turret revolving cam connection to the plunger operating same.

Figure 14 is a side elevation of the device in Figure 13.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 21 designates the bed plate of the machine which in the machine shown is a table top supported on legs 22. Apertures 23 and gular in shapeare the sheets 27 and28 of glass or other transparent material through .which the light from the lamps 29 and 29" are reflected through the medium of the chambers '30 and 31 the inner surfaces 32 of which are'covered with light reflecting material. The. light from the chamber 30-may be used for printing the main or centre portion of a photographic negative or film laid onthe glass 27 but not shown in the drawing. A photographic mask not shown but of any of the well known types may be placed over the glass 27 so that only partofthe negative laid thereon may be transferred to the printing paper in the .manner hereinafter. de-

. scribed. The light from the chamber 3l'may be 'used' for exposing the remaining part of Ithe paper so that a border may be formed v thereon when the paper. is developed. The

machine shown is only designed fortwo .op

erations but it will be readily understood that the number of light reflecting-chambers maybe increased so that additional marks,'.

ornamental or. otherwise or even names, may be printed on the printing paper. on suitable bearings 38 in the centre of the table is a turret designated as a Whole by the fnumeral .34. The turret has an upwardly projecting portion 35 into which a=stud bolt 36 or such like centering means may-be placed to hold the turret inposition. j-Thebolt, 36 is placed through a lug 37' forming part of a bracket 38,11ereinaft'er described; The lower portion 39 of the turret in themachine shown, 'iso t rectangular formation,

the outcredges 40 of which are formed to receive a hinge pin 41 upon which are mounted the printing paper gripping fingers may raise the free ends of theupper fingers a detail of which is clearly shownin Figures 5, 9 and 10. Attached tothe portion 39oi' the turret by means of the hinges 40 are the fingers 41- and 42, which extend outwardly] from said hinges and are so positioned that they will hold apiece of printing paper over the'apertures in the top with its edges parallel to the inner edges 43 and 44 of said apertures. Thelower fingers 41 may be roads of heavier materialthan'the upper.

fingers 42'whichare made of spring ribbon steel, so that jbars 45 placed between them clear ofthe lower fingers when said bars are pivoted about their 'edges 46. The bars. areheld-in place between thefingers and midway between their fixjd ends 47 and 3 their free ends 48 by means of the pins 49 passing-through the lowerfingers 42. Ex:

tending from the bars towards the centre of .the machine are. the finger opening levers 50 adapted to engage with'pawls 5l'pivotallysecured to brackets 52 secured in anysuitable manner to the inner portion or -ends. .4"l' of the'fingers as shown or to the hinges. The

pawls are rotatably mounted on the pawl pins 53" and spiral torsionsprings 54. may

be mounted-on the pins and engage with the pawls in such amanner that thenotches 55 formed" in the pawls' tend'togengage with i the ends 55 of the bars. The brackets 52 may be joined together by any suitable means such as the ribs 56: The lower ends 57 of the pawls extend below, the level of'th'e fingers sothat'they will engage with finger" closing mechanism her inafter described. The fingersrest upona mg58 secured to v the centre of the table by a ty-suitable means.

The uppermost edge 59 0i thering is of ir-:

Mounted The end is slotte 14) to'receive said cam which is pivotally regular shape so that the fingers will ride .clear of the table when the turret is revolvingand rest upon the glass over the aperture at two positions when the turret is at rest. A notchXiOis formedin the ring to allow the fi'ee end, of the fingers to dip towards the surface of the table 'at'one part of the machine so that printing papers may be easily inserted between the fingers. At this point the fingers are brought together to hold the paper firmly during the operation of printing. The edge of the ring then gradually slopes towards the border printing apertures.

24 which is positioned at right angles to the aperture 23 and to the notch 60. This slope is gradual so that the motion towards the aperture 25 will be smooth and not tend to shake the paper from the grip. The remaining portion of the edge of the ring is adapted to raise the papers clear of the table until they are released.

Extending from side" to side of the machine and mounted on'brackets 61- is, the

presser arm supporting shaft 62 which also assists in supporting the cantilevered end 63 of the bracket 38* which extends over the turret machanism"and carries the lug 37. a

ably mounted in bearings 69 formed integral with the bracket 38 and is connected at one end 70 to a' turret (see Figures 13 and mounted on a pin 72 passing through the end 70. The cam is provided with a groove- -73 which engages with the pins 67 and is so formed thatiit will clear the adjacent pin during the rotationfof the turret. To hold .the'cam in engagement with the pin 67 a compression spring'72 is mounted between the-"bottom of the slot and the end 74 of the cam in such a manner that there is always a tendencyfor-thecam to" rotate towards the centre of the machine. The end 75 of the plunger is pivotally connectedto' one end 76 of a bell crank lever 77 by means of alink 78. The bell crank'lever is 'rotatably mounted on a pin 79 passing through an upwardly extending bracket 80 formed integral with the bracket 38. The other end 81 of said bell crank lever has a counterbalance weight 82depending there from and supported by a wire 83 passing over a slot 84. so that the weight may be very easily dismantled. Also depending from the leverend 81 is a piston 85'which slides in.a cylinder 85 secured in any suit (pin engaging cain' 71.

tion and extends across the machine.

cantilevered end 63 of thebracket 38.

able manner to the bed plate. The cylinder the connecting rod which is pivotally.

secured to one end 94 of a double ended lever 91 pivotally mounted on a pin 92 passing through a bracket 93 secured to the underside of the bed plate. The other end 95 of the lever 91 is attached to a link 96 which is connected to a foot. lever 97, suspended-from the underside of the bed plate. The foot lever shown is of U for-116an one of the-upwardly extending arms 98 of the foot lever, a pawl 99 is mounted and adaptedto engage with a toothed rack 100 secured to any fixed part ofthe machine. The pawl is freely mounted on the arm on a pin 101 and prevents backward movement of the foot lever before its full stroke is completed by engaging with the teeth in the racks The upper portion-66 of the turret is provided with outwardly extending arms 102 through which screws 103 may be placed to form stops for limiting the movement of the turret during each stroke of the foot lever. The. screws may be adjusted to suit the position of the stop mechanism which comprises a gravity operated pawl'1 04 ivotally mounted on a bracket exten ing outwardly from and at right angles to the pin 106 supporting the pawl 104 passes through the bracket 105 and has a releasing lever 106 secured thereto and adapted to engage with the lingers when they are raised during the operation of the machine. A

" stop pin 107 projecting outwardly from the pawl'engages with a lug 108 formed in the bracket 105 to limit the downward movement of the pawl. Pivotally attached to a shaft 109 passing through the end 110 of the presser arms 11.0 is the presser plate 111 which is made in two parts 112 and 113. The part 113 is provided with upwardly projecting pins .114 which pass through apertures 115 formed in the part 112 and compression springs 116 surrounding said pins and positioned between the parts form a cushion for the part 113 and allow it to adjust itself to the table level. 114 are provided with means to lock the parts 112 and 113 together. Projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the part 112' is the guide arm 116 which engages with a pin 117 secured to the bracket 108 project- The The pins ing outwardly from the cantilevered end 63 of the bracket 38. A tension spring may be connected between the arm 116 and the presser armto hold the end 119 of the arm 116 in contact-with the pin 117. The border printing presser arm 120 is pi'votally attached to a bracket 121 secured to the .table and is operated by the movement of the photograph presser arm 110 by-ehgaging with theshaft 109 which passes through a slot 122 formed in thesfree end 123 of the arm 120. The border presser arm is also provided with a presser plate 124 made in two parts 125 and 126 similarly connected as the parts 112 and 113,so that said presser plate 124 will adjust itself to the level of the table. The parts 113 and 126 are ap proximately the same size as the apertures 23 and 24 and are adapted to cover same when the machine is in operation; Felt pads127 maybe provided as a cushion for said plates. The fingers are raised at one point in the operation of the machine by means of the rod 127 Sfi dably mounted in a slot 128 cut in the bed plate and connected at its lower end to one end of the finger raising bell crank' lever 129 pivotally at" tached to a bracket 130 secured to the underside of the bed plate. -The otherend 131 of the bell crank lever 129 is connected to a pin 142 passing through the arm 95 of the double ended lever 91 by means of a link 132 which is provided with a slot 134 at one end to allow the lever 91 to move a certain amount without moving the link 132. A tension spring 135 may be attached to the rod 127 to hold it in the vertical direction. The end 136 of the rod engages with screws .137 passing through the hinge of the fingers.

These screws may be easily adjusted to give the proper lift-to the fingers. The pawls which hold the fingers in. their open position are released by the radial movement of the rod 138, which is pivotally attached to the bracket 1 30 and operated by the movement of the bell crank lever 91, through the medium of the link 139, one end of which is pivotally attached to the rod by means of the pin 140. while the other end of said link is provided with an open ended slot paper to raise same so that it will pass between the fingers when they are in the open position. A negative holding device is mounted on the frame in close proximity to the edge 148 of aperture 23 and comprises three blocks 149 mounted on a pin 150 se-' cured to the brackets 1 51 attached to the bed plate. The blocks are held against the bed plate by means of the tension springs I 152' attached to'a fixed pin 1 53 mounted 5 provided, each pin. projecting. upwardly in brackets below the bed plate. To raise said blocks verticalflmoving pins 153* are through the bed. plate and engaging with one'of the blocks. 'The pins are secured at one end to a U-s haped bar or lever, the arms 154 of which are pivotally mounted on pins 154: passing through said arms midway between" their ends. A U-shaped operating lever 155 isa'ttached tothe end of said arms and extends above the top ofjthe'table so that the palm of the hands ofthe operator may be used to operate the blocks when placing tlie negativeflin position. Depend ing from the arms 110 is the finger opening link 15.6 which engages with the finger operating levers or bars and depresses same until '20 the notch in the pawl engages with the end machine.

40 cated .by the numeral 162 and ,is provided of 'saidbar as aforementioned. A gravity; operated stop'bar '157'is pivotally mounted "lithebracke t 80 and is adapted toengage .with the pin '89 during the (iperation of the The upper end 158 ofthe bar 157 is rectangular asshown in Figure 6, so that a pin 159 secured to the bell crank lever will engage with the corner 160 of said end -to swing the stop bar clear ofthepin 89 0 during' the operation of the machine.

Springs 161 are placed between the fingers to hold them from side movement on their hinges. The lights maybe automatically controlled by the motion of the foot lever.

5 The lighting switch for the photographic printing chamber is shown in Figure :r', and the border printinglighting switch is shown in Figure 8.

Referring to Figure 7, the switch is, indiwith, a tension spring 168 attached to the controlling ,handle 164.- to hold the switch in its off position. Secured to one of the arms .of thefoot lever is 'the'bracket 165 having a screw 166 projecting therefrom and adapted to provide an adjusting means to regulate the stroke of the switchq The screw contacts with the side 167 of the lever 168- projecting out from one side of .the'

downwardly projecting ledge 169 of the table or'bed plate- The upper end 168Kof the lever 168. isfattached to the switch controlling handle by means? of .the rod 170. Now referring to-Figure 8 which shows a relay switch, the contacts are designated 171 and 172. Contact 172' is fixed ,to a pivotally mounted lever 173 and contact 171 is pivotally mounted on' a pin 171. The. end 174 of the lever 173 to which the contact 0 is fixed is bevelled and the projecting end 176 of the contact 171 is also bevelled so that a pin 177 controlled by the movement of' the connecting rod 90 will reset the switch. The coil 179 while current is passing. through it is energized and pulls a spring catch 180 out of a notch .181 formed the piston 182, working, in a cylinder 183 filled with a fluid. The resistance of the fluid to the movement ofthe piston regulates the timethe lever 17 3 will'take to bring the contacts controlling the light to their off posia link-184 to the, end l85 of the lever 178. said end 185 being positioned-on the opposite side of. the pivot pin 186 supporting tiona s the piston isconnected by means of said lever 173. Suitable covers 187 may be provided for, the relay switch. The v,devi'ce may be subjected to various modifications Without departing from the spirit of the invention.- I

An aperture '189 may-be formed in the photographicprinting arm presser plate to .allow .a'numbering device 190 topass therethrough to mark the back of theprints. The numbering device may be'operated by a cam 191 attached to it-,-'and contacting with a pin 192 secured to the presser arm. I When the-presser plate falls the cam all'ws the numbering device to contact with an inking.

for each. double stroke of the foot lever."

There are four sets of fingers on the turret and from the' time the printing paper is placed between the fingers until it is discharged therefrom, it passes through an arc of 27 0 or'threequarters of a'circle. While the -machine 'is in operation photographic printing papers are held in at least three sets of the gripping fingers. The photographic negative is placed over the aperture 23 and a suitable mask is placed overor under said negative so that only the center portion of the negative will be printed.

-The negative and mask are held in place by meansof the blocks 149 which are raised by pressing the lever 155 ownwardly, the tension springspull the b ocks towards the bed plate as soon as lever 155 is released thereby locking the negative in position. The set fingers opposite the" aperture 23 are in the open position ready to receive a sheet of photographic printing aper. The foot lever is pulled towards t e operator. pin 142-pushes the rod 138 towards the aperture 23 carrying the 'plate 146 forward.

This plate or guide 1 16 is approximately equal in thickness to the lower fingers 42 and papers-placed on said plate are guided between the fingers and are positioned by The The

- means of the blocks. The movement of the rod also releases the pawl holding the fingers and the spring fingers grip the paper.

The foot lever-is then pushed away from the operator to bring the presser plate in contact with, the paper lying above the negative-in the aperture 23. This is accomplishedthrough the medium of the connect ing rod-9O and lever 91. The projecting arm on the presser plate contacts with a cam or pin on the presser arms to gradually bring it into the horizontal position when it reaches its lowermost point. Then pin 89 contacts with the slotted bar 86 which pulls the turret turning cam, so that it will engage with one of the pins projecting upwardly from the turret. The light in the chamber 30 is also lighted through. the pushin movement of the foot lever; The downwar movement of presser arm also carries the presser plate 124 over the aperture 24.- upon which a mask designed to print a border on the printing paper held between the fingers opposite said aperture and which are holding a partially finished print over the aperture 2 1, and chamber 31'the lights-in which are controlled by a relay switch operated by the movement of the foot lever and controlled by the dashpot. The lights ini'chamher 31 are in parallel with the lights in chamber 30 and the current supply is con- 171 and 172 remain in their on all catch to hold the trolled by the switch 162.. The current passes through the contacts 171 and 172 and through the coil 179 which when energized releases thespring catch 180 allowing piston 182 to drop. The resistance of the fluid in the cylinder regulates the time that contacts osition. Pin 177 operated by the movement of the rod 90 resets the contacts and allows the spring piston until released by the action of the-coil. Stop bar 157 is used as a safety device to prevent the foot treadle from being operated faster than the dashpot 85* willallow the turret to rotate and only comes in contact with the pin 89 in the event of the treadle or foot lever being pushed forward before the turret has come to-rest. The turret is held against movement by the stop'pawl 104. On pulling the foot lever towards the operator, the presser arms are raised from contact with the glass and the switches controlling the lights in the chain bers'are allowed to return. to their off position. On its return movement, the pin 1&2 contacts with the end of slot 144 and pushes the rod 127 upwardly to raise the finger ,clear of the notch in the ring and also raises the'paper clear of aperture 23. The upward movement of the fingers releases the stop pawl 1% through contacting with the lever 10.6 and allows the weight 82 to push the turret through an angle of 90 or until it contacts again with the stop alld wing pushes the plunger, and turret engaging cam, and the dashpot 85 and piston 85 prevents a too rapid movement of the turning of turret; 0n downward movement of the arm 81, the pin 159 releases the safety pawl157 which is designed to prevent the presser from being operated should the turret through some unforeseen circumstance refuse to operate. The turret has then moved through an angle of 90 and is again ready for the insertion of an unexposed printing paper.

of the bar to hold the fingers in their open position. As will be seen from the foregoi'ng all partsof the machine are controlled by the movement of the foot lever,- exthe pawl 51 to engage with the end cept the negatiye holding blocks which are easily operated by the palms of the hand of the person inserting the negatives. The machine positions the printing paper and sub-' jects it to a plurality of exposures so that it will improve the appearance of the print when it is developed by providing same with a border, artistic or otherwise. The printsmay also be numbered by means of the numbering mechanism mounted on the presser plate. The device is very simplein' operation and may be operated by an unskilledparty.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimise 1. Ina photographic printing machine, a plurality of photographic printing paper olding means, a plurality of printing frames equipped with complementary negatives, mechanical means for operating the paper holding means to pass the printing paper over each frame andmeans for automatically guiding each holding means so that the printing paper will be subject to successive-exposures from said frames in its passage through the machine.

' 2. In a photographic printing machine, a

plurality of paper holding means .adapted to i means for simultaneously clamping the papers over each of the printing frames and means for controlling the light exposure in each frame and to rotate the paper holding means. i I

8. in a photographic printingmachine, a plurality of paper holding fingers adapted to rotate about a common'centre, a plurality ofprinting frames equipped With complementary negatives, 'means for bringing .the printing papers over each frame as it passes through the machine, means for simultaneously clamping a piece of printing paper over each frame, means to hold the printing papers in position during exposure of same and means for controlling the rotative move mentof the fingers. I I

i, In a photographic printing machine, a plurality of paper holding fingers, adapted to rotate about a common centre, a plurality of photographic printing frames having masks mounted thereon displaying different characteristics, means for guiding the print ing papers so that they will each be subjected to an exposure from each frame, means for simultaneously clamping a paper over each frame, and means controlled by the clamping means to discharge one paper at avtime from said fingers.

5. In a photographic printing machine; a plurality of hingedly mounted fingers adapted each tohold a printing paper, a plurality of printing frames equipped with complementary negatives, gravity operated means for 'rotatlng said fingers to snnulta- 5 neously place the printing papers over each frame, mechanical means for ralsing the rotating means to operate independent of the -mechanical raising means and means to absorb the shockcaused in a gravity operated means. Y

6. In a photographic printing machine a plurality of photographic printing frames,

equipped with complementary negatives, lights in said frames, a plurality of paper holding means rotatably' mounted and adapted each to place a paper over each frame, means for simultaneously clamping a paper held in said fingers over each frame, means to guidethe fingers so that each paper is subjected to one exposure from each frame, means for simultaneously controlling the lights in each frame to suit the exposure required, means operated by the clamping 'means to successively come in contact with each of the fingers to release the paper held therein, once it has been subjected to all the exposures required.

7. In a photographic printing machine, a-

plurality of printing frames equipped with complementary negatives, electrically lighted chambers under each frame, a revolving turret, a plurality of'gripping devices extending from said turret and attached thereto, said gripping device being adapted to carry a plurality of papers, means to rotate said turrent to bring eachof said papers over e'ach frame and means operated by the rotating means to control the lights.

8. In a photographic printing machine a plurality of printing fames equipped with complementary negatives, electrically lighted chambers under each frame, a revolving turret, a plurality of hinges secured to the turret, spring gripping fingersextending out- Wardly from said hinges, to carry a'plurality of printing papers, means to revolve said turrent, means to control the lights in the chambers, and means to restrict the move ment of the turret so that each printing paper will be subjected successively to the lights in said chambers.

. 9. In a photographic printing machine, a

gravity operated means to rotate the turret,

mechanically operated means for raising the' rotating means and to control the lights in i said chambers, means engaging with the turret and released by the movement of the fingers to align the printing papers over their respective frames, and means to retard the movement of the turret during its rotation.

10. A photographic printing machine, ac cording to claim 9 having meansactuated by the raising means to simultaneously clamp a printing paperover each frame and means operated by theclampingmeans to-release the papers fromthe lingers-once they have llqeen exposed to all the lights in the chamers. 1 1. In a photographic printing machine, a bed plate, a plurality of electrically controlled exposure chambers formed in said plate, said chambers being equipped with complementary negatives, a turret rotatably mounted on said plates, a plurality of spring gripping fingers, hingedly attached to said turret, means mounted on the bed plates to successively guide the fingers towards each of said chambers during the rotation of the turret and to lift said finger clear of the plementary negatives, electric lights in each of said chambers, rotatively mounted means for holding aplurality of printing pa rs,

means to guide each of said papers'to v lie successively over negatives placed over earn of the chambers,'means to control the move ment of the holdingmeans and the lights in equipped with complementary negatives, a

said chambers and means-to automatically plurality of sets of photographic printing paper supporting fingers each adapted to hold one sheet of paper, means to guide each set of fingers towards each frame, means to rotate the fingers, meansto align and hold the fingers over each frame edge-,means to raise the fingers clear of the'frame While passing between them, means to clamp each print over each frame, means attached to the clamping means to release the print after it has passed through the machine, means to hold the fingers open to receive the print, means to release the fingers to, grip the paper,

and means'to align the print With the first frame and to fingers. r

In witness whereof, I hav'ehereunto set my hand. I MAURICE METZGER.

guide the paper towards said 

